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these programs can also be low.
“Most of our students receive federal or financial aid,” Dr. Rainey explained. “Or state aid. That’s been a huge benefit for our employers.”
Dr. Jones added TCAT Northwest doesn’t do student loans.
“Our students leave here
time – especially students that may go somewhere else – that they really enjoy coming and learning their specific field.
“If you’re an H-VAC, you’re learning the full gambit of everything that is related. Then, when you leave, you are highly-skilled in that area.”
Experience from the leaders in the program is a
TCAT Northwest is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education.
“One of the core requirements from the COE is that we’re responsible
for completion, we’re responsible for placement, and liscensure,” Dr. Jones said. “Any student that walks onto our campus, we’re responsible for them totally. When they graduate, it’s our job to make sure they go to work.
“I think that separates
us from the community colleges and the universities because it is our job not only to train but to place.”
This means working in the actual field.
Most courses involve students coming to the campus Monday through Friday about six hours a day.
“They train,” Amanda Heath, Vice President of Student Affairs, said. “We to theory and skilled lab or what we call practical. Students are seeing it in the book, reading it in the book or on online access. Then they get out to the machines, the equipment, to learn.
“We try to keep our equipment as up-to-date as we can to match industry standards so that when they got into their job from their training after earning their diploma then they are familiar with the equipment.”
This helps the students get right onto the floor at their new job and use the equipment.
For more information on TCAT Northwest, visit https://tcatnorthwest.edu/.
Dyer County Schools www.dyercs.net
159 Everett Ave. Dyersburg, TN 38024
731.285.6712
Director of Schools: Cheryl Mathis
Dyer County High School
1000 West Main St., Newbern, TN 38059 731.627.2229
Northview Middle School
820 Williams St., Newbern, TN 38059 731.627.3713
Three Oaks Middle School
3200 Upper Finley Rd., Dyersburg, TN 38024 731.285.3100
Trimble Elementary School
256 College St., Trimble, TN 38259 731.297.5512
Newbern Elementary School
401 North York St., Newbern, TN 38059 731.627.2139
Fifth Consolidated Elementary School
2150 Millsfield Hwy., Dyersburg, TN 38024 731.285.2840
Finley Elementary School
P.O. Box 408, 72 Poplar St., Finley, TN 38030 731.285.7050
Holice Powell Elementary School
988 Hwy. 210 S., Dyersburg, TN 38024 731.285.1994
debt-free,” Dr. Jones
said. “To me, when you leave here debt-free and you can go directly into
the workforce, you can compare our students making great wages with little to no debt. I got back to my younger days when you get minimum wage
to now when you go out and you’re making $10 an hour for us, our students struggle and they have to make sacrifices. But, when you can make the sacrifice and you can leave and make $25 an hour, it’s a life-changer for so many students.”
Another plus to attending TCAT Northwest is how work-based the education is.
“Everything you learn is tied to that program,” Dr. Jones explained. “We hear all the
WILLIAM NORTHCUTT
big asset.
“All of our instructors come with years of experience in their field,” Dr. Jones said. “What they are able to share is not only the knowledge but the background which gives the students those qualifications that are needed in the industry.”
The placement of the students once they finish the program is important to the facility as it is to the students.
“We’re required by
our accreditor to meet benchmarks as it relates
to placing students into jobs,” Dr. Rainey explained. “When they’re completing the program they have assistance with job placement.”
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